Thank You Inner Voice and Starbucks

I woke up in a funk today. I felt out of sorts, distracted, bothered. I think I know why.

I attended my first conference in over a year this past weekend. The last conference I attended I left a day early—couldn’t handle the selling and hard-sell promotion. It had been billed as a total content event; it was not. That was the first time in 7 years I had left a conference early. And, until this past weekend I had not attended another event.

I needed a break.

I needed to find myself, my voice and my path again, after allowing myself to get caught up in everyone else’s. When I got word of the conference I attended this past weekend, that little voice inside of me whispered, “Go, it’s time… you’re ready and there are things you can learn.”

I heeded that little voice of inspiration and went.

I was a little anxious going into it. How would I react if they started pitching and hard-sell promotions. God forbid it turn into a pitch fest, if so I knew I would have to walk out. Self preservation. I’m still healing from my past experiences with pitch fests. And my bank account and credit card balances have finally recovered. I absolutely don’t want to go down that path again.

Yet, I am not done learning.

And, I’m getting ready to publish and market my new book within the next few months and I’m smart enough to know there are things I don’t know and need to learn.

So I went to the conference… spent 2-1/2 days listening to speaker after speaker. Yes, I learned a few things. Mostly it sparked ideas. I met a few interesting people. Reconnected with an old friend who lives across the country. Met someone I admire in person for the first time.

I didn’t make it to the end of the conference.

By day three, I’d had enough. It was starting to feel like a pitch-fest. Too much like the old days for me. I felt my feathers starting to ruffle, and even though it may have just been me (I realize I am super sensitive still), I knew it was time to bow out. I listened to that inner voice, and left. Yes, I missed probably the biggest name speaker of the weekend, but I was okay with it. I had gotten what I came for, and a little more than I bargained for. Time to go.

After a day at home, I found myself feeling agitated.

I wasn’t sure why. I felt distracted and overwhelmed by all the information I had gleaned at the conference, the feelings it had stirred up in me, and I simply couldn’t concentrate. I knew I needed to get clear.

I grabbed my journal and headed to Starbucks.

I usually spend Friday mornings at Starbucks, drinking my favorite tea, and journaling. Today was Tuesday. I didn’t care. Starbucks and my journal were calling me. My head said I had too much to do. A presentation to finish. A book to finish writing that I’m already behind schedule on. And more.

Yet I knew I wouldn’t be able to concentrate on any of it unless I cleared all the clutter out of my brain. So I listened to my heart, and ignored my head and headed to Starbucks with my journal.

Within 5-10 minutes sitting there writing, everything became crystal clear.

Issues I have been challenged with over the past few months of how my business and my book fit together were resolved. A clear path revealed itself. I saw the first few steps. I started to get excited. I now know where I am going! And, I can now appreciate the conference even more, because some of the ideas it sparked are a part of my plan. But even more so, the frustration it stimulated is what led to my clarity! Not what I expected to gain from attending, but oh, so powerful.

Once again I am so grateful I let my heart overrule my head.

It knew what I needed. In just a few minutes the clouds cleared and the path was revealed. Now it’s time to follow.